Anthony - Soul Listening
February 9th, 2009 by Nicholas Chorba
As a forty-nine-year-old man stumbling through his midlife passage, I have been dealing with a divorce and trying to find closure in my father’s death, among other challenges. It is because of these experiences, and what I have learned about myself, that I realize the importance of leading a more spiritual life. Trying to live up to the honor code of traditional masculinity (not asking for help, no crying, staying logical, being in control, etc.) has only led to unhealthy and destructive behaviors.
I have begun to make time to help me be more open to God. I make time for prayer and reflection, long walks, spiritual readings. In fact, I ask myself a series of questions each day that help me focus on the spiritual instead of relying on the material parts of my life.
Questions like,
- How can I slow down?
- How can I simplify things?
- How can I bring silence into my life?
- How can I savor the moment?
- How can I speak up? (Tell the truth)
- How can I settle in? (Establish roots and rituals)
- How can I shed my armor and masks?
- How can I soften my approach to life?
- How can I serve the community?
These questions help me to touch my soul, listen to my soul, and bring me closer to God. As J.Heinrich Arnold said, “Christian discipleship is not a question of our own doing, it is a matter of making room for God so that he can live in us.”
Quoted from Philip Yancy’s book “Prayer: Does It Make a Difference?”, published by Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, 2006, page 52.
